فؤادٌ بِبَينِ الظاعِنينَ مُرَوَّعُ
وَعَينٌ عَلى إِثر الأَحِبَّةِ تَدمَعُ
A heart confused amidst the censures,
An eye shedding tears for loved ones lost,
وَكَيفَ أُواري عَبرَةً سَمَحَتْ بِها
وَإِن حَضَرَ الواشي وَسَلمى تُوَدِّعُ
How can I hide the tears that fall unbidden
When spies draw near or friends bid their farewells?
فَيا دَهرُ رِفقاً إِنَّ بَينَ جوانِحي
حُشاشَةَ نَفسٍ مِن أَسىً تَتَقَطَّعُ
O Fate, have mercy! My very soul
Is torn by grief and sorrow untold.
فَما كُلَّ يَومٍ لي فؤادٌ تَروعُهُ
وَلا كَبِدٌ مِمّا بِهِ تَتَصَدَّعُ
Not every day my heart is shaken so,
Nor does my liver break from every woe.
أَيُجمَعُ شَملٌ أَو تُراحُ مَطيَّةٌ
وَأَنتَ بِتَفريقِ الأَحِبَّةِ مُولَعُ
Will kin reunite or travelers find rest,
While you take joy in parting those close-pressed?
وَلَمّا تَجَلَّتْ لِلوَداعِ وَأَشرَقَتْ
وجوهٌ كَأَنَّ الشَّمسَ مِنهُنَّ تَطلُعُ
When radiant faces shone for last goodbyes
Like suns arising, tears welled in my eyes.
وَقَفنا بِوادي ذي الأَراكَةِ وَالحَشى
يَذوبُ وَما لِلصَبرِ في القَلبِ مَوضِعُ
We stood in a valley of bushes and brambles,
Melting with grief, for patience has no place.
وَلَيسَ بِهِ إِلّا حَبيبٌ مُوَدِّعٌ
عَلى وَجَلٍ يَتلوهُ دَمعٌ مُشَيِّعُ
None remains but a lover bidding adieu,
Disconsolate, with tears of farewell trailing.
وَقَد كادَ أَجفانٌ شَرِقنَ بِأَدمُعٍ
يُنَشِّرنَ أَسراراً طَوَتهُنَّ أَضلُعُ
Eyes once bright with tears now dimmed
Secrets unlocked as dams within are breached.
فَلَيتَ جِمالَ المالكيَّةِ إِذ نأت
أَقامَت بِنَجدٍ وَهيَ حَسرى وَظُلَّعُ
Would that the beauties of Malik's line remained
Established in Nejd, though sorrowed and aggrieved,
فَلِمْ حَمَلَتها وَهيَ كارِهَةُ النَوى
إِلى حَيثُ لا يَستَوقِفُ العيسَ مَرتَعُ
Why were they, though loathing departure, compelled
To where the night-fires have no place to graze?
وَهَذا مَصِيفٌ بِالحِمى لا تَمَلُّهُ
وَفيهِ لِمَن يَهوى البَداوَةَ مَربَعُ
This is a summering place with no shortages,
A refuge for those desiring the desert’s breadth,
وَعارِضَةٍ وَصلاً تَصامَمتُ إِذ دَعَتْ
وَأُختُ بَنِي وَرقاءَ تَدعو فَأَسمَعُ
But the rival drew near, so I turned away
When the sister of Bani Wirqa came calling.
وَذو الغَدرِ لا يَرعى تَليدَ مَوَدَّةٍ
وَيَقتادُهُ الوُدُّ الطَّريفُ فَيَتبَعُ
The betrayer respects no enduring affection,
Sweet fidelity leads him on though he feigns rejection.
وَلَو سأَلَتْنِي غَيرَهُ لَرَجَعتُها
بِهِ فالهَوى لِلمالِكيَّةِ أَجمَعُ
Had another asked, I'd have turned her back,
For my love is only for the Maliki tribe entire.
